Olympic champion Ukhov returns to the Moravia High Jump Tour

Russia’s London 2012 Olympic Games gold medallist Olympic winner Ivan Ukhov will compete again on the Moravia High Jump Tour and will open his 2013 campaign at the indoor meetings in the Czech towns of Hustopece and Trinec on 26 and 29 January respectively.

Ukhov has been a regular on the Tour, which celebrates its ninth edition next year, since 2006 and holds the meeting records at both venues, having cleared 2.38m in Hustopece last year and 2.34m in Trinec in 2010.

"I’m looking forward to meeting my fans in the Czech Republic again. For me, it is a must at the beginning of each year. This time, they will see me for first time as an Olympic winner so that will be special. I cannot predict any results but, as always, I will try for the best possible," said Ukhov.

His appearance in Hustopece in 2011 was special because Ukhov attempted a World indoor record height of 2.44m with Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor, who has held the record with 2.43m since 1989, in the audience as the meeting guest of honour.

Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi and France’s 2012 European Athletics Championships bronze medallist Mickael Hanany are among the other confirmed male jumpers on the Tour.

Ukhov’s compatriot and 2012 Olympic Games bronze holder Svetlana Shkolina is confirmed for Hustopece, where she won last year, and said she hopes to attack the meeting record of 2.00m, which has stood to Germany’s Ariane Friedrich since 2009.

Also confirmed is Italy’s 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships winner Alessia Trost and Ukraine’s France’s 2012 European Athletics Championships bronze medallist Olena Holosha. Organisers are still negotiating with other top jumpers.

The 2012 overall Tour winners, which combined the results from both meetings, were Ukhov with 4.63m and Shkolina with 3.91m.